Silence, a Twilight FanFiction Contest
by Baron Hotschaft Von Hugenstein
Summary: The Silence contest has closed. Now take a look at the winners, and their amazing stories!
1. The Winners

okay, i admit it.

i DID tell you i would post the winners beginning March 4, my birthday. but i got too excited!! and i originally said that i would have two honorable mentions, but there were two amazing ones i couldn't pick between. so without further ado, here are the winners of the "Silence" fanfiction contest!

Honorable Mention: "Bloodcurdling Scream" by Twilightgrl17  
Honorable Mention: "Love Lasts Forever" by luv2read134  
Honorable Mention: "The Silence of My Past" by chocoholic4eva

Third Place: "Silence" by seashell118

Second Place: "Silence – Glares Burn My Skin, Writing Heals with Ice" by Alice Danielle

First Place: "The Sound of Silence" by SteneMichele

congrats to all the winners! prizes are as follows: to Twilightgrl, luv2read, and chocoholic, you get bragging rights and a Twilight character cookie of your choice! to seashell, you get bragging rights and a Twilight couple character cookie set of your choice (i.e. Alice/Jasper or Jacob/Renesmee)! to Alice Danielle, you get bragging rights either a vampire, werewolf, or human set of Twilight character cookies, containing all your favorite members of the species! and to SteneMichele, you receive bragging rights, links to "The Sound of Silence" on the bottom of all the chapters i post on fanfiction between now and the _New Moon_ release date, November 20, 2009.

and for those of you just joining us, the object of this fanfic contest was to write a Twilight fanfic about anything, any length, any character, based on the following poem:

"silence—excruciating in my ears  
silence—amplifying all my fears  
silence—it's real, it's there, it waits for me  
silence—i am swallowed whole"

i will post the winning stories here, beginning with "Bloodcurdling Scream." look next chapter for the first honorable mention! Sunday i'll post "Love Lasts Forever," Monday "The Silence of My Past," etc. go read!

peace, love, and Jasper  
Miranda


	2. Honorable Mention: Twilightgrl17

**I loved "Bloodcurdling Scream" because of its insight into Charlie's world. What was he thinking when Bella was in her "zombie state"? Twilightgrl17 answered all my questions, and for that, I award her Honorable Mention. Great job, Twilightgrl!

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**

Bloodcurdling Scream

by Twilightgrl17

Honorable Mention

It was hard seeing my daughter, whom I loved so much, suffering like this.

She never ate, she only talked when absolutely necessary, and she never, ever, ever went a night without screaming. She had seen Jacob the day before, as Billy had told me. Now I was lying in bed, early in the morning, waiting for Bella's blood-curdling scream. This was my routine. I would childishly cover my head with my pillow in an attempt to muffle the horrible sound. The seconds ticked by. Nothing. Any moment, I would hear the scream. Any moment, I would begin to shudder, as I suffered through my daughter's own suffering. I laid there, waiting. Waiting. Silence. Waiting. Nothing. Nothing! Eventually, I heard Bella get up, and begin her shower. There was no scream. I felt happier than I had in a long time.


	3. Honorable Mention: luv2read134

**when I first figured out that this was an AH, I was thinking that it could NOT win. But luv2read134 asked me to read it with an unbiased eye, so I did. And I am so happy I did. If I hadn't, I would have just brushed this off as another AH, but it was more. For this story to work, Edward and Bella had to be human. Somehow, it all worked for me. I loved the ending's creativity, and for all this, I award her honorable mention. Great job, luv2read!

* * *

**

Love Lasts Forever

by luv2read134

I lay in bed, unable to sleep. How could I? Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face behind my eyelids. Her beautiful face, alight with happiness. And every time I thought about her, the pain only got worse. I tossed and turned, willing myself to fall asleep. I glanced at the clock. Three a.m.

I was still, listening to the world around me. There was no sound, not even my breathing. Everything was inaudible. There was only silence. Complete, unyielding silence. It weighed down on me, hurting my ears.

I thought back to when Bella used to sleep next to me, her body soft and warm. Back then, there were always noises, her adorable mutterings in her sleep or the sound of her sighing. Now there was nothing. The silence brought back the pain, and I doubled over with the force of it. I cried out silently at the excruciating pain in my heart as the silence swallowed me whole.

--

_3 months earlier_

I woke up and looked at my angel's sleeping form. I smiled to myself. We had gotten married a year ago, so I woke up to this every day, but I still couldn't get used to the joy of seeing her lying next to me. I bent my head down to the soft skin of her neck to kiss her gently. She stirred in my arms, and I lifted my neck up to look at her. She looked at me with her sparkling brown eyes, filled with love. The image made my heart swell.

"Good morning, sunshine," I whispered.

"Hi," she murmured back.

We lay in bed for a while longer, simply enjoying each other's company. After a while, though, she decided to get up. My arms tightened around her waist, unwilling to let her go. She looked down at me and smiled.

"Come on, Edward. I can't just lie in bed with you all day."

I skimmed my nose along her collarbone, kissing gently. I smiled when I heard her breathing pick up. "I don't see why not," I murmured into her neck.

I made my way back up to her lips and kissed her softly. She returned the kiss just as gently. We silently conveyed our love into the one kiss, our lips molding together perfectly. After a while, though, my brain began screaming at me to stop for air.

_Air? What's that? Don't need it. I could survive on Bella's kisses alone… _

The small, reasonable part of me that wasn't completely absorbed in the kiss finally won out. Reluctantly, I pulled back. Her eyes shone with excitement.

"Wow," she breathed.

"Yeah."

"Okay, Edward. Time to get out of bed."

I pouted at her, but she just laughed.

"C'mon, let's get ready, then we can spend the day together, just you and me."

"As long as the 'you and me' part applies."

I bounded out of bed and kissed her one last time, then went to get ready.

After I was done showering, I went back out to the kitchen, where Bella was making breakfast.

She set a plate of eggs and bacon in front of me. I scarfed it down hungrily as she leaned against the counter, watching me with a smile on her face.

"Delicious."

"Thanks."

"So, where are we going to go, beautiful?"

Her eyes shone, and I knew the answer before she even said it. "Our meadow."

She grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the house to the car.

"Well, someone's excited," I teased.

"Of course I am. I get to spend the entire day at my favorite place in the world, with my wonderful husband."

Just the thought of spending the day with her, without interruptions, excited me. I wrenched the door open and held it out for her. "Well, let's go!"

She laughed at my enthusiasm and got into the car. I ran around to the driver's side and started the car.

I held her hand in one of mine while driving with the other. I thought back to the meadow. Our meadow. We had shared so many precious memories there; it would always be ours.

I looked over at Bella, her hair swept around her gorgeous face by the wind from the open window. "Do you remember our first time at the meadow?" I asked her.

"Of course I do. It was our first date."

"And do you remember what happened on our first date?" I prodded.

"Our first kiss." She smiled in remembrance.

"And do you remember our other times at the meadow?"

Her face softened. "The second time we were at the meadow, you told me you loved me."

I squeezed her hand. "Always will."

"And then another time, you asked me to marry you. You said you loved me and wanted me to be yours forever. You told me you couldn't live without me."

"I can't live without you," I told her seriously. "You're my whole world."

"I'm going to die sometime, Edward," she told me with a sad smile.

I considered my answer carefully. "I'd follow as soon as I could."

She looked alarmed. "What?!"

"I can't live without you, Bella. If you died, I'd try to kill myself too."

She got a fierce light in her eyes and took my face in her hands. "You will do no such thing! If I die, Edward, you are _not allowed_ to kill yourself!"

"Bella, if you weren't alive, I would have nothing to live for," I tried to explain.

"Edward, do you love me?"

"Of course I do," I answered, confused. Did she doubt my love for her?

"If you really love me, Edward, you won't commit suicide if I die. Please, promise me."

"Bella…"

"Edward, if you really do love me like you say, you'll promise me this."

I looked at her worried, hurt face. "I promise."

She relaxed. "Thank you, Edward."

I looked back at her, hair still whipping around her face as she smiled at me. If my promise made her happy, so be it. I would probably die before her anyway.

I was looking at Bella as she was about to speak. The stoplight turned green, so I hit the gas. But, a driver approaching from the right failed to put on his brakes when the light turned red. He spun out of control and hit our car.

After that, everything happened in slow motion. The car hit the passenger side of my Volvo, and I saw Bella slump down in the seat, unconscious.

"Bella!" I screamed.

I jumped out of my seat and got her seatbelt off. I carried her out of the car carefully. I laid her on the ground gently and patted my pockets for my phone, but realized I had left it at home.

"I need a phone!" I cried out to the crowd that had formed. Immediately, twenty cell phones were held out to me. I grabbed the nearest one and called 911. I explained what happened to the girl on the other end. I was talking so fast I was surprised she could understand me. I got my message across, though, and soon, an ambulance was wailing down the street.

The paramedics hopped out and tried to look at me, but I shook them off angrily. "Don't worry about me, take care of her!" I gestured to Bella. Thankfully, they listened to me.

Soon, they had her loaded into the ambulance. I got in with her and looked at her unconscious form as the ambulance sped down the street. My heart was thumping loudly in my chest.

_She's going to be okay, Edward_, I tried to convince myself. I repeated it like a mantra.

_She's going to be okay… She's going to be okay… Please let her be okay…_

Soon, we were at the hospital. Everything happened in a blur. The next thing I knew, a doctor was about to check on Bella.

The doctor walked into the room. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the room."

I just nodded numbly and walked outside, where the rest of my family had gathered. I paced outside the door nervously, running my hand through my hair. My brother Jasper, who had a talent for calming people down, placed a hand on my shoulder. I was still edgy, though.

I looked around at my family, who were standing solemnly. Alice looked worst of all, with a tear running down her cheek.

The doctor walked back outside, and I rushed to him. I held my breath – his news would either shatter my world or save it.

Then, he said the words that brought me to my knees in pain.

"I'm sorry sir, but your wife has passed on."

--

I was numb with shock. I arranged her funeral and made other arrangements, but the reality didn't set in until about three days after it happened. I woke up one morning and looked down, expecting to see Bella, but was faced only with the empty bed.

The pain came back then, much stronger than before. I cried myself dry, my body wracked with sobs.

Everybody had told me it would get better with time, that the pain would become manageable. But they were wrong. If anything, each day that passed only made it worse. Every day, I was faced with reminders of what I had lost.

Music reminded me of her, as did TV or books. Every reminder became a slap in the face, and each time, they pain grew worse.

I had wanted to die after she was gone. What did I have to live for? But I couldn't kill myself. I thought of the pain it would cause my family. Esme would be heartbroken.

But I knew that wasn't the real reason I didn't do it. The real reason was that I had promised Bella.

And now here I was. Afraid to remember, terrified to forget.

I glanced at the clock again. Six a.m. Time to get up.

I went about my morning routine robotically and headed to work.

Once I got to the hospital, I immersed myself in work. Patients, clinics, diagnoses. After the crash, I had worked all the time. It helped me forget a little bit.

Another reason I worked so hard was that it kept the silence at bay. Those were the worst times, times when everything was quiet. A flood of memories was opened in the silence, and there was nothing to take my mind off the pain.

Once again, as I had for the last three months, I buried myself in work. I only looked up when I heard the door open. It was my coworker, Tyler.

"Hello, Tyler," I said out of politeness.

"Hey, Edward. Some of the guys are going out tonight. We're going to get some drinks, watch the game. Want to come with us?"

"No thanks, Tyler."

He hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Look, man, I know this has been rough on you, but it's been three months. You gotta loosen up. Come with us tonight. There are a lot of cute girls at this bar; you could get together with one of them."

For the first time in three months, I felt an emotion that wasn't pain. No, now I was feeling…_anger_.

"No, you look, Tyler. I can't just 'loosen up' and get over her to get with some girl I pick up at a bar. _I loved her._ She was my whole world. And there is no way in hell some slut in a bar could _ever_ take her place." I spoke with such venom that Tyler flinched.

He explained hurriedly. "Hey, I wasn't saying that she could be replaced. I just want you to be happy. Ever since the accident, you've been really depressed. I was just trying to –".

I cut him off with a sigh. "Yeah, I know. Sorry, but I just can't forget her. I don't think any other girl could ever compare to her."

He nodded and left after placing a hand on my shoulder.

I sank into my chair and sighed, running a hand through my hair.

I glanced at the clock. Five p.m. I smacked my head, remembering I was supposed to meet my family at 5:15. I was dreading the meeting, though. I had to try to keep up my calm and collected façade for Esme and the rest of my family, but inside, I was writhing in agony.

I headed to my Volvo and started it up. As I drove through the streets, my mind wandered to my last conversation with Bella. A whole new wave of pain hit me. Would this never end?

Suddenly, I realized I was going way too fast. I saw a sharp turn up ahead, and yanked the steering wheel to the right. It wasn't enough, though. The car crashed into a pole. The last thing I remember was a soft voice calling out to me.

"Bella," I murmured.

Then I passed out.

--

When I opened my eyes, I saw sunlight streaming down through the treetops. I stood up, confused, and looked around.

_The meadow? How did I get here?_

I hadn't been to the meadow since the day Bella died. I knew it would only make matters worse.

I scanned the place I knew so well, and what I saw next made my heart stop in my chest.

"Bella," I whispered.

She turned to me and smiled a heart-stopping smile.

I reached toward her hesitantly, as if she would disappear. I stroked her face softly and whispered again. "Bella."

She held my hand to her face and sighed. "Edward."

"Am I dreaming?"

She laughed, and I mourned the fact that I had been unable to hear that laugh for three months.

"No, you're not dreaming."

I was confused. "Then what –"

She sighed. "Edward, you're dead."

My brow furrowed. "What?"

She scanned my face carefully. "The crash killed you."

"So, let me get this straight. I died and now I get to be with you?"

She nodded carefully. I swept her up for a kiss, pouring all of my passion and love for her into it.

After a moment, she laughed breathlessly. "So I take it you're not mad about being dead?"

"Mad?" I asked incredulously. "Bella, I've been wishing I was dead since the day you died."

Her face suddenly looked dejected and she looked at the floor. The sight almost broke my heart.

"Bella?" I coaxed her face up with my fingers so she was looking at me. "What's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry, Edward."

"Sorry? For what?"

Her voice was quiet. "Well, when you're a spirit, like we are now, you can travel from Earth to heaven. So, I would come down a lot and watch you. It really hurt to see how much pain you were in and know that it was all my fault."

"Your fault?" I asked disbelievingly. "Bella, nothing was your fault. If anything, it was the other driver's fault."

I could tell she didn't believe me. "But…"

"No, no buts. Bella, _it wasn't your fault_." Her beautiful brown eyes searched my face, then she nodded slowly.

"Okay."

I grinned at her and kissed her again.

"I missed you, Edward."

"Not half as much as I missed you," I whispered between kisses.

Later, we sat in the grass. She was seated between my legs, with her back pressed against my chest. I buried my face in her soft hair and let her heavenly scent envelope me. As I listened to her giggles and soft breathing, I knew Bella was the laughter in my life. She would always keep the silence at bay.

I thought about our situation. This stunning creature was mine until the end of time. Not even death would do us apart.

I leaned down and murmured, "Bella, I will love you for all of eternity." As I said the words, I knew they were true. Our love would last forever.


	4. Honorable Mention: chocoholic4eva

**I read chocoholic4eva's "The Silence of My Past" and loved it. (Obviously.) I loved Alice's voice, and the way chocoholic worded everything was perfect for the character. I loved the in-depth peek into Alice's forgotten human life, and the beginning of her eventful vampire life, and for that, I award her honorable mention. Great job, chocoholic!

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**

The Silence of My Past

by chocoholic4eva

**silence—excruciating in my ears**

The room was black as night, as it always was when _he_ wasn't there.

_He_ was an odd fellow.

But unlike all the others in this place, _he_ didn't think I was crazy. _He_ treated me like a regular person, like I wasn't locked up in the loony bin for the dreams that came true.

The room was silent too. I knew that somewhere in this building, there were people screaming and crying, but this room was silent. A piercing silence, so absolute that it hurt my ears.

**silence—amplifying all my fears**

A man came to see me today. He believes me too. His name is James.

But _he_ told me not to trust James. That he was a bad man, and that he would kill me if he got the chance.

I'm afraid.

**silence—it's real, it's there, it waits for me**

_He_ came into my room, and told me that James was going to try to kill me. _He_ told me he was sorry, that it was the only way.

And then _he_ bit me.

**silence—i am swallowed whole**

I woke to an empty room, a burning throat, and loneliness. Light filtered in through a filthy window, and I saw little dust motes reflect a rainbow of colors. So beautiful.

I turned, and saw a door. It was symbolic almost. A start to a new life, though I wasn't sure what it meant for me.

I could smell something so delicious and tempting wafting under the door. It made the burning in my throat intensify to an unbearable point, but somewhere inside me, I knew that to follow it would not be good. Yet I started slowly for the door.

And then, a picture overtook me. A vision of sorts. It was a tall man, much taller than me, stepping into a diner. He had shaggy blonde hair, and dark, red-tinged eyes. It should have been frightening, but I found myself enthralled. He stepped in from the rain, and then froze. His expression turned from blank to unsure. And then it was over. Much too soon for my tastes. I wanted to see more of the man in the diner.

Before I could begin to contemplate what had just occurred, it happened again. This time, I saw a family of beautiful people. There were seven of them, including the man I'd seen before, and a small woman who looked familiar for some reason. She stood next to the tall blonde man, and held his hand. A surge of jealousy washed over me. She was his exact opposite in looks: short, with dark spiky hair. Yet, they were eerily similar. The other five included two females, a blonde and a light brunette, and three men, one with dark curly hair and huge muscles, another tall blonde, and one with the oddest shade of bronze hair. But in this picture, the blonde man from the diner's eyes was like molten gold. All of their eyes were.

And then, I saw the family hunting. They were fierce, and animalistic. They took down their prey with their bare hands, and made it look easy.

I came back to reality. The room seemed to have gotten smaller, quieter, and the forbidden scent stronger. My throat burned. I noticed a mirror, and crossed over to see myself. It was odd that I had no recollection of my appearance. I halted in front of it, and saw the small woman from my visions. That was me? I reached out and touched the mirror. The woman reached back, and when the tips of my fingers touched the glass, it looked like we were touching. She took me in silently, and I could see her judging me. Her eyes were a vibrant red that highly contrasted her black hair and deathly pale skin. There were light bruises underneath her eyes, like she hadn't slept well the night before. Even allowing for the eyes, she was breathtaking.

Out of the silence of my past, a name floated up to me. Alice. I could hear a woman calling that name, laughing warmly. It seemed to suit us, the mirror woman and me.

I decided to call myself that. I turned from the mirror, and opened the window silently. I knew that the delicious scent wasn't meant for me to have, not if I was going to live with the golden eyed family. Once I was out of the tiny room, I followed a much less appetizing scent. I could run fast, faster than the cars on the road next to the woods I was running through. I let instincts take over me, and I followed the repulsive smell to a group of deer. I carefully picked out the oldest and weakest, and planned each move I would make before taking the deer.

It was too easy. The animal was dead before it knew what happened. The rest bolted off as soon as they saw me. I drained it of its blood, and the burning in my throat went down a little. I knew I would need more, but the deer were long gone. I would have to deal with it later.

I knew what I was now. I was a creature of the night, a vampire. I drank blood to survive, but it didn't have to be a human's.

I knew that the family I had seen was a group of vampires.

They were vampires who lived off the blood of animals instead of humans.

Vampires that I would one day join.

Again, I was overcome by the images of what was to come, for I understood that too now. They were flashes of the future.

I saw the bronze haired man walking in with the muscular one to a room where the mirror woman, and the man from the diner stood, facing the rest of them. The bronze haired man laughed, and the muscular one went and stood in front of the stunning blonde protectively. They all seemed confused and a little scared, except for the bronze haired man.

"Edward, Emmett!" The mirror woman trilled in a voice that sounded like tinkling bells. The man with dark curly hair looked at the woman in shock, as if to say, "How do you know my name?"

The bronze haired man laughed and said, "Carlisle, they're fine. They want to join us."

The tall blonde man, who seemed to be the leader of them, nodded. "Thank you, Edward. They gave us quite a scare."

The man who was apparently called Edward smiled. "So I gather."

The blonde pushed the man called Emmett out of the way. "What are you doing here? Why are you in our house? And how the hell do you know our names?"

The mirror lady smiled. "Well, Rosalie, I'm here to join your family, like I've always known I would. I know your names, because like Edward, I have a skill, if you want to call it that. I see the future, and I knew that I would find Jasper, and then join with you all. And I'm in your house because Carlisle wasn't at the hospital when we went by." The mirror lady finished brightly. She didn't even seem to notice Rosalie looking at her suspiciously.

The other woman, a fragile looking thing, stepped forward and smiled. "Of course you can stay!"

The mirror lady smiled. "Thank you, Esme."

The vision ended, and I was back in the unnaturally silent forest. Like my past, it was as though nothing was there.

It suffocated me, the silence did. I longed for anything, just a hint of a life before this existence.

Nothing.

My past is silent.


	5. Third Place: seashell118

**seashell118's aptly titled "Silence" had me from its opening, and never let me go until the highly creative ending. I loved the twist on a familiar story, the creative use of my poem, and the unexpected way of conveying the end from a rarely-used POV. "Silence" was creative and heartbreaking, and for that, I award her third place. Great job, seashell! (p.s. EDWARD'S HAIR!)

* * *

**

Silence

by seashell118

This was it. The turning point. My entire life hung on the balance of this moment.

_C'mon, c'mon_, I thought, though I did not say it aloud. I could not drown out the only sound that tethered me to this earth: the sound of Bella's heartbeat. I had to keep it beating, I had to keep the blood pumping through her veins. I had to keep her alive.

Jacob was not as compliant. I had ordered him to leave when he started thinking of giving up on Bella. I would _never_ give up on her. Not until her heart stopped beating, and I could not even dare to think about that possibility now.

I pumped my hands over her chest the tiniest fraction harder.

How did this happen? For once, life was starting to make sense. We were finally embarking on the happy ending we deserved—or at least Bella deserved—when she had become pregnant. It seemed like all had been lost then—but when I had heard the baby's thoughts, Renesmee's thoughts, and realized that she loved her just as much as I did, how could I hate the child anymore? We had put a plan in place, a sort of vampire caesarian-section, and yet, of course, something had gone wrong.

_Thump. Thump._

Her heartbeats were lazier and slower as the blood started to congeal in her veins. I pumped my hands harder and faster, determined to keep her heart beating long enough for the venom to spread.

_Thump… Thump…_

_Thump…_

"No!" I cried out, breaking my temporary vow of silence. "No, Bella! Listen to me! Fight, damn it! Fight!"

A single _thump_, and then a sound that I never, ever, wanted to hear in my life.

A low, drawn out beep. The sound of a heart monitor not registering any heartbeats.

I refused to listen to the fucking machine. There was no way in hell that I was just going to give up like that. No. _No_.

I pressed my hands to her chest once more, but after several pushes I realized it was doing no good.

Bella. My Bella.

She was gone.

I let out a sound that was halfway between a snarl and shriek, lashing and flailing my limbs in every direction; one of my fingers grazed the heart monitor, promptly tearing it to shreds. The broken pieces of metal and plastic clattered to the floor.

And then there was silence.

No sounds. No breaths. No heartbeats.

No Bella.

Silence. Excruciating in my ears. Silence. Amplifying all my fears. Silence. It's real, it's there, it waits for me. Silence.

I am swallowed whole.

* * *

_A few days later…_

Mike Newton grabbed a bag of chips and the remote, flipping on the television. His father had been watching the news, so the channel that had come up was CNN.

He was about to change the channel when he saw something that startled him.

"… sent in by a young woman in Volterra, Italy, who claimed to capture the scene on her cell phone. Experts claim that this video feed must have undergone some sort of CGI effect. We will play the video one more time for those who haven't seen it."

The picture was fuzzy and hardly clear, but Mike was captivated. The figure took one step out of the dark alleyway and into the dazzling sunlight. He gasped—the guy's skin _sparkled_, like some sort of weird man-shaped diamond. And then the scene got even weirder—two people in weird black cloaks pounced on him and dragged him back into the shadows. There was one long, drawn out scream, and then silence.

Mike shrugged, popping a few chips into his mouth, and changed the channel.


	6. Second Place: Alice Danielle

**I fell in love with the tone of Alice Danielle's "Silence--Glares Burn My Skin, Writing Heals with Ice." I loved this hostile, I'm-not-insane-I'm-just-hated side of Alice. It was intuitive, creative, and dark. Stunningly written, and a great peek into the world we never knew. For all this, I award her second place. Great job, Alice Danielle!

* * *

**

Silence—Glares Burn My Skin, Writing Heals with Ice

by Alice Danielle

I was trapped. Trapped in this hellhole they now call my home. They. The people who threw me into this place and marked it with my name. I was entitled to its ownership, but was I really in my home if I was owned by another? It was their home that they threw me in like a rag doll. They told me I was as good as dead. As good as dead, really? I am still breathing, living, eating, feeling…I don't understand these people's minds. I am not as good as dead at all. So why did they build you a tombstone, Alice? You are dead to them, and they try to make you feel dead by encasing you in a cell. My own thoughts angered me with their cruelty. The world was cruel. The people who worked here were cruel. My parents were cruel.

They threw me in here and told me they hated me. They told me I was crazy, a witch child, and deserved to be punished. How could they live with their souls knowing they sentenced me to this torture? How could they live with themselves when throughout every minute of every day I was suffering here, enclosed, willing death to be upon me, while they had fun and went on with their lives like evil people? How could they say that I was the wicked one? They locked me in here. My own hell. So many questions, and they would forever be left unanswered.

I would spend my lifetime in this cell. And I had a long life ahead of me. I was only seventeen… And yet, they locked me up here, so I could be treated like my mind was cracked. My brain was fine. I was talented. I was smarter than them, and they were scared. They were all cowards, afraid of their own daughter. She was ashamed of me. My own mother was ashamed of my existence.

I looked around the cell in boredom. The walls were made of a solid, gray brick. In some places, there were jagged, sharp edges. I wondered briefly if I would be able to draw enough blood from myself to die. Perhaps. It could ease the sheer boredom that my life had become. But suicide was a sin. I, Alice, would not go to hell because I was too cowardly to live through my lifetime of nothing.

My life had become nothing.

I was dead to them, dead to everyone.

I looked around at the rest of the cell. Some of the bricks had strange drawings inscribed. One was of a naked man in a vat of "toxic oil," as the artist called the bucket the man was encased in. There were also drawings of strange and abstract symbols that meant nothing to me, but perhaps the world to someone else.

I remember when I used to look at the asylum and think the people trapped in there were crazy. I now realize that they were not; the asylum made them crazy. They had no option once someone hated them enough to kick their asses in there. They shouldn't call it a mental asylum. The people inside weren't mental or insane. They were simply hated by unjust people. I pitied the world for being victim of such unrighteousness.

Why did man call this place a mental asylum if all it was, really, was the place they keep the hated? They should just call it "Hated People's Cells." It's better to be straightforward. Then I remembered why. The human race in America had to keep up its charade of 'civilization' and 'virtue.' These words meant nothing to me as I lay here enclosed in hell waiting to die. If the world knew what happened to people like me, the good-hearted people would save us. But the cruel souls keep secrets and lie. They have no limits as long as the world thinks well and looks up to them. I glanced to the "window." If that is what you can call the indentation in the wall covered in broken glass and dirt. No fresh air was allowed to seep through as the caked mud that sealed it shut. There were vertical metal bars, too, as if the layers of mud and extreme height of the window weren't enough to keep me from escaping.

I wondered if I really was evil in God's eyes. Maybe I was to go to hell after all. I saw no evil in myself, but we often misjudge our own hearts. I wondered, and it passed time.

The floors of the cell were once concrete, but now were covered in sand. There was a small concrete bench on which I now sat and nothing else in the room except for an empty tray from the cafeteria in the corner next to the door. The walls seemed to close in on me if I kept my eyes open long enough, so instead I closed them shut.

I listened to the soft noises from outside my metal door, and they entertained me. I looked briefly at what I was wearing. A simple blue dress with red lace that I had sewed myself. It had been my favorite. How coincidental. I would wear it for my lifetime. It was already dirty from all of the scum and mud in the cell and on the worker's hands. They had thrown me into the room themselves—they decided letting me walk would be too easy and painless for me. Instead, they had to humiliate me by throwing me. I decided to get used to the treatment.

It's not like I haven't had harsh treatment before this; my parents beat me repeatedly. But this was different. The workers here have no reason to hate me. I have done nothing. My parents thought they had a just reason. The workers could hold nothing against me because I have done nothing. They have nothing to blame me for. Yet they still act like I am the shit on their shoes. I don't think they realize that I have a heart with feelings that can and have been hurt. Nor do I think they care. You must be a sick person to want to work in an asylum. I looked out the small window on my metal, locked door.

People were glaring. The workers and visitors glared at me as they passed, with looks on their dirty faces that made you feel like dirt. Their glares burned my skin as I stared back. They burned my skin and stabbed my heart. All I had ever wanted was a family that loved me. Now, nobody loved me and everyone hated me for no specific reason. Of course this would happen to the one unlucky, little girl like me.

They cut my hair, too. It had been one of my best features, but now it was gone. All I had left was a short, choppy look that reached to my mid-neck.

I was hungry. The glares were still burning like fire. I envied the people that were free from glares. Free from the evil fire that burned my skin cells with cruelty. I envied them so much.

A bell rang.

It was a loud twang, and it was very high pitched. My ears clawed for the noise to stop, and when it did, all noise was gone. All lights were shut off. I was in complete darkness. One light switched on in the hall and stayed lit, so I could still see.

_silence—excruciating in my ears_

_silence—amplifying all my fears_

_silence—it's real, it's there, it waits for me_

_silence—i am swallowed whole._

Everything came crashing down on me when the silence continued.

Everything I had ever hated, feared, loved, and envied… All was coming for me in the dark, silent cell. The burns were still sore on my arms, and I knew they would be there forever.

My story would be lost.

I needed people to know. I needed people to remember me. So I wrote.

I wrote on the walls with a stone from the ground, engraving the words into the hard rock.

The writing seemed to heal the wounds with ice. I knew I would be remembered by somebody. I knew people would know my story. I knew I would not be living for nothing.

I would not live in hell while my story was lost. It would be found. And I would be content. As good as dead. In silence.


	7. First Place: SteneMichele

**I loved "The Sound of Silence." (Hence the first place.) I loved SteneMichele's take on Bella's zombie period, a four-month period that passed in _New Moon_ with four short pages. She went in-depth into Bella's pain, and I could feel for Bella. Descriptive, creative (and I'm lovin' the Seth!), and great, I award her first place. Great job, SteneMichele!**

**Before I go...I had fun with this contest! Expect more soon. Put me on author alert if you're interested!

* * *

**

The Sound of Silence

by SteneMichele

**One: The Lodge**

"What can I get you?" Tyler asked. His voice was distant and uncaring, as if he didn't know me. Charlie sighed, obviously recognizing this strange occurrence as well.

"Just a burger," I squeaked, intimidated by the foreignness in my ex-friend's voice, "Well done." He should know that. I had ordered it every other Friday for the past year. Tyler used to cater to my every need. The Lodge, Charlie's favorite restaurant, could be completely full and yet Tyler would come back and forth to _our _table, making sure that I still had enough ice in my drink.

But tonight… the distance in his voice has caught me off-guard. I wondered how long he had talked to me like this. I talked to him in school. Didn't I?

Tyler spun around on his heels and walked back to the kitchen, winking at Lauren Mallory, who was sitting across the restaurant with a curly-haired girl that I used to hang out with.

I was impressed that I had even recognized these curious transactions. I had not noticed anything in the past four months. I had been empty, hollow, transparent. The actions and words of other people had not stirred me. I had stared out the window while Mike tapped my hand playfully. I had nodded silently as Jessica prattled on pointlessly. And now suddenly it was all clear. I had not acknowledged their presence, and now it was their turn to ignore _me_. This ostracization did not bother me in the slightest. There was only one person who could revive me- no. I mustn't think about that.

"Bells." My head shot up, pulling me out of my reverie. It was Charlie, his eyes wide and annoyed.

"What?" I muttered. Charlie gestured down towards my drink. It had spilled all over the table. I didn't care, even as the soda seeped into the fabric on my elbow. Charlie sighed heavily at my lack of reaction and made eye contact with a waiter across the room. All I could do was shift around so that my arms were folded across my chest. Tyler was back.

"Again?" he asked, looking down at the spill. I had knocked over more than one drink? Maybe, somewhere deep down, I _was _still Bella Swan. That was something the old me would do. But the old me would also laugh and blush as Edward teased me. Did I just think that name? No- _Eric _would tease me. That's what I had meant. The old me would also laugh and blush as _Eric_ teased me. I was losing it.

"Um, we'll just take the check, Tyler," Charlie muttered bitterly. He had grown impatient. Tyler stopped mopping up the mess, and I was vaguely aware of his eyes on my face.

"I'll be right back then," he muttered, casting me an anxious look.

I let my eyes close in resigned humiliation, barely acknowledging Charlie's hand on my forearm. He was whispering my name. No- he was shouting my name. Others were too… yelling anxiously as my chair disappeared beneath me and I sunk into darkness. And then I was overcome by the sound of silence.

**Two: The Voice**

"Jesus, Bella," Edward moaned, massaging his temples, "Why do you always scare me like that?" My eyes were barely open. Oh, _crap._ I was in the hospital again. Edward was sitting at the foot of the bed, his hand on my ankle.

"What happened?" I demanded, "Where's James?" There was a moment of silence. Edward stared at me as if I had lost my mind.

"Who the hell is James, Bella?" Edward inquired, probably doubting my sanity. I blinked twice, unsure of what was happening. Was this some sick joke? "Bella, who is this 'James' person? Did he hurt you?" I closed my eyes; Edward's voice had lost its velvet tone. It was harsh and desperate. And Edward's eyes... they were brown.

"Charlie?" I demanded. The man stood up abruptly.

"Who else would it be, Isabella?" my father snapped. I inhaled sharply, overcome with emotion. Where was he? Edward had been sitting at the foot of my bed one minute ago...

Just like it did every morning, realization hit. That was the only time that I thought the name- when I was in that eerie phase between slumber and awakening. And it was always a let-down when I realized who it was. It was Charlie, waking me up to tell me that I had slept until two o'clock in the afternoon. Sometimes it was Mr. Banner waking me to tell me that if I fell asleep one more time in class he would have to call home. It could have been Elvis Presley and I would have begun crying in disappointment.

I did cry. The tears welled over right there on the hospital bed. A couple of nurses cast me frenzied looks, but they were used to me here. I was just the manic depressed daughter of the sheriff who stopped in every other week.

The ER doctor was average. He was a joke, almost, compared to his predecessor. Normally I wasn't shallow enough to judge the appearance of others, but sometimes someone so miraculous existed that they shadowed everyone else.

"She's delusional," Charlie muttered to the ER doctor. I closed my eyes and shook my head.

"No, I am not delusional," I insisted, "I was sleeping." Charlie cast me a scathing look that I returned only half-heartedly.

"Has she ever suffered from chronic depression in the past?" Dr. Ackerman asked, holding a clipboard out in front of him. The question was for Charlie, but I butted in.

"No," I stated firmly. Dr. Ackerman glanced at me in surprise, but then recovered himself and continued with his inquiry.

"Have you ever seen a family therapist?" he asked, "I find that divorce is a trauma that can haunt somebody for years without them ever realizing it." I glanced up at Charlie, shaking my head in frustration. Even Charlie seemed to appreciate the fact that this doctor was not making any progress.

"The divorce was sixteen years ago, Dr.," Charlie sighed. Dr. Ackerman scratched his head in confusion, tossing his clipboard to the side.

"Any family abuse?" he asked, as a last resort. I sat up much too quickly, and all the blood in my body rushed to my head.

"Of course not," I snapped. I needed to get out of here. For the first time in my life, I wanted to run. I didn't even stop to consider the danger in moving that fast; I just threw the blankets off of me and flew out of the room before Charlie or the doctor could comprehend what was happening.

I didn't respond to the frenzied calls of people that knew me. I ignored their bemused states. I tripped over a heart catheter, but I kept running until I was safely out of the fire door. Somewhere behind me, a fire alarm sounded.

Had I reached my breaking point? These past months I had hovered somewhere around it, always threatening to touch it. But the concerned looks that I received from Charlie always kept things in perspective. I couldn't live like this anymore. My days of pretending were over. My efforts had been futile. I had lost. No matter what anybody said of it 'being for the better', I would never be how I was back in Phoenix. I couldn't exist like I had _before _I had met him, because he had made all of that seem like a boring prelude. He couldn't live with me, and I couldn't live without him.

The thought sent tremors up my body, so I resumed my run. I hurried through the misty rain of Forks until I was somewhere in the outskirts of the woods.

I loved the woods. Everything was the same. There was no distinction between the western forest and the eastern forest. It was all just _there_. He had left me in the woods. This was the last place that he had touched...

"Bella," a voice called in relief. I spun around, my eyes landing on Seth Clearwater. I blinked in confusion.

"What are you doing here, Seth?" I whispered, not sure why I was whispering. Seth furrowed his brow.

"Shouldn't I be asking _you _that?" he replied, gesturing towards a small wooden sign that I had not seen before. _You Have Now Entered The Quileute Reservation. _Comprehension hit. I had run further than I thought.

"Oh," was all I could say. Seth grinned. I did not know the boy very well, but Charlie was friends with his parents. He had been a newborn on those fishing trips that Charlie had forced me to endure years back.

"Are you lost, Bella?" he muttered, his light brown eyes full of concern. I considered his question, unsure if I was or not.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. I didn't care if I was lost or not. Seth took a seat on a tree stump to ponder my answer. I collapsed right onto the wet leaves that coated the forest floor.

"Does your father know that you're here?" Seth asked curiously. I shook my head. Seth bit his lip and leaned his head back. "Does _anybody _know that you're here?" My response was the same, and Seth moaned in light-hearted frustration. "Jeez, Bella, you're a walking deathtrap." I should have blushed. The old me would have. How many times had I heard that before?

"Um, would you mind bringing me to the reservation?" I asked, feeling utterly ashamed of myself, "I can get back to town from there." Seth stared at me in wonder.

"It's almost ten miles, Bella," he said in awe, probably doubting my sanity. I shrugged.

"I know," I muttered, "I don't feel like calling my father." Seth and I stood up simultaneously.

"How 'bout this? I'll show you back to the rez and I'll give you a ride," he offered. There was a trace of pride in his voice. I faked a laugh.

"You're fourteen," I snapped bluntly. Seth blushed a little bit but shrugged.

"I won't tell your dad if you won't," he joked. He jerked his head and began walking at a pace that had me slipping on the leaves.

He had a car. It was an old and rusty Ford, but Seth revved the engine as if it was a new Volvo. _Volvo._ I didn't let myself remember why that stupid word sent flutters down my throat.

"Can you drive?" I asked nervously. Seth nodded.

"I've known since I was a toddler," he joked. I scoffed skeptically and took my seat belt off. Maybe if he crashed, I would die instantly. It wouldn't be as heartbreaking as if I had taken my own life. Car accidents happened all of the time.

And then I heard it. The soft, velvety voice that I had restricted to the back of my mind. It was beautiful in my mind, ringing like church bells.

"_Don't do that, Bella," _Edward whispered dangerously. I jerked forward in my seat in shock, clinging to the dashboard. Seth spun around, his hand flying to the door. He was obviously debating whether or not I was a safe person to be around.

"Are you all right?" Seth asked tentatively, his eyes full of regret. I didn't respond; I merely leaned back and closed my eyes. What a beautiful voice... I wanted to preserve it forever. How could I make it last?

I rolled down the window all of the way and leaned my head out as Seth put the car in reverse. He seemed frazzled, as if he wished that he had just let me spend the night in the woods.

Seth Clearwater drove fast. Not as fast as I would have liked, but fast enough to send my adrenaline rushing. I needed to do something else. Something reckless, to make the voice return. I needed that voice like a heroin addict needed a hit.

"So, you're a senior?" he muttered, when we were halfway to my house. I nodded, barely acknowledging his question. From my peripheral vision, I could've sworn I saw Seth smirk and roll his eyes. He pulled up to my house in silence, and I jumped out immediately.

"Thank you," I called, waving. He waved back, clearly concerned for my mental health. Luckily for us, I wasn't. I was in my room five minutes later; Charlie still hadn't come home. I called him quickly and told him where I was, hanging up before he could respond. He wouldn't be home for at least fifteen minutes. I wanted that voice.

Closing my eyes, I slid my leg out of the open window. The roof wasn't very steep. It was just perfect to sit on. My other leg followed, and I exhaled. It wasn't as risky as skydiving, but it was enough.

"_Are you trying to kill yourself, Isabella?_" the voice whispered delicately. It was not angry- it was concerned. I only smirked in response, overcome with joy at hearing the voice. "_Bella, get in the house. You'll fall." _Fall. Yes, that was something that I did. I glanced into my room, debating whether or not to give up on my newfound daredevil habits. One more short sentence, I decided. All that I needed was to hear a couple more words in that silky tone.

On shaky legs, I stood up, clutching the windowsill for support. I got my wish.

"_Isabella Marie Swan, sit down and go back inside. You're going to fall. You always do." _If anybody else had said it, I would have gotten defensive. But this was the world's most beautiful voice. Coming from the world's most beautiful person.

For the first time in several months, my dormant heart purred.


End file.
